Hoekstra and Fleitz discuss new ransomware attacks on Newsmax TV

Center for Security Policy Advisory Board Chairman Pete Hoekstra and Center President Fred Fleitz joined John Bachman on Newsmax TV on May 15 to discuss the recent ransomware attacks on the U.S. Colonial pipeline and the Irish health service.

Ambassador Hoekstra called on the U.S. to view these cyber attacks as an act of war.  He urged Biden officials to mobilize U.S. defense and intelligence assets and press other nations — including Russia — to capture or take out these cyber terrorists and deny them safe havens.

Fleitz agreed.  He added that part of this problem is that some large computer systems — including Pentagon systems — are too vulnerable to cyber attacks because they have not updated their cyber defenses.  This includes using older versions of Microsoft Windows, such as Windows XP which was released in 2001.